Winding spindle



Oct. 24, 1939. J, N, GREENAWAY JR 2,177,318

WINDING SPINDLE Filed Feb. 14, 1939 M W W a Patented Oct. 24, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to winding: spindles wherein no cap or spool is used for the ball of twine or other wound. material, but the completed wound ball consists of the wound material only.

The invention is intended especially for cordage made of vegetable fiber but is entirely suitable for winding flexible wire of any composition.

The objects of this invention are to produce a spindle from which the wound material is readily detached and which will produce an exceptionally firm ballor cylinder of wound material. It is to be undersood that the words ball and cylinder are used here in a broad sense and do not imply a mathematically rigid shape. I attain these objects by the spindle illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the spindle when the arms of the reel are collapsed;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view, the rod I being shown in elevation with the arms of the reel spread;

Figure 3 is a cross-section on line 33 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional View on line 44 of Figure 2, with pin 3 in slot 5 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Numeral I designates a rod, preferably of steel, the ends of which are formed to fit into the winding machine to be rotated thereby. An enlargement 2, either integral with or rigidly secured on the rod I, serves as a stop for an operating annulus 4, when the arms of the reel are collapsed as shown in Fig. 1. For a purpose set forth hereinafter, rod I has a slot 9, extending the greater part of its length forward of annulus 4'. A pin 3 passing through the rod I and. lying within a frusto-conical cavity in the operating,

annulus 4, acts as a stop to the longitudinal motion of the annulus 4 when the reel is in the transversely distended position, shown in Fig. 2.

Operating annulus 4 embraces closely rod I but sufficiently loosely to permit longitudinal motion on rod I. Annulus 4 is shown as stepped and the periphery of the outer step is knurled or roughened to facilitate manual rotation of the annulus. Slots 5, 5 having one side abrupt and the other side inclined extend from the bottom of the frusto-conical opening in annulus 4 through the material of the annulus and radially from the rod I to points beyond the ends of the pin 3. The pin 3 may therefore rest in these slots when annulus 4 is in the proper position of its. rotation as in Figs. 1. and 4. The object of this will appear later.

A thrust ring 6 is fitted on the rod I and fits against the annulus 4.

The reel proper, referred to herein as the reel, comprises two stepped collars I and 8 apertured to fit on the rod I. To each of the steps of each of said collars are pivoted arms at regular circumferential intervals. The arms I0 pivoted to the part of greater diameter of each of said collars are longer than the arms II, pivoted to the part of lesser diameter. These arms are not only pivoted to the collars, but the longer arms of each collar are at their extremities I2 pivoted to the end of the corresponding shorter arms of the other collar. The stepped collars are thus connected but may be moved toward and away from each other to an extent limited by the length of the arms. It is to be noted that circumferentially the longer and shorter arms of each collar alternate.

The arms may be pivoted to the collars in any desired manner, but as shown, grooves I3 are formed in the circumferences of the collars, a slot I5 extending to the grooves is cut for each arm and the arm is pivoted on a wire I4 in the groove I3. If desired, the wire may be further fixed by soldering.

An inwardly extending projection I9, integral or otherwise, extends from the movable collar into the slot 9 to prevent relative rotary motion between the collar and the rod I.

A coiled spring I! bears against the inner surface of the collars and holds them apart as shown in Fig. 1, except when they are forced toward each other as shown in Fig. 2.

To assemble the unit the operating annulus 4 is slipped over the rod I and is stopped by the pin 3. On turning the annulus 4, the pin 3 will, when, it encounters slot 5, slip into it and annulus 4 will rest against stop 2. Ring 6 is next placed upon the rod and then the reel proper, the coil spring I'I surrounding the rod I and the inwardly extending projection I9 moving in the slot 9. The outer collar 8 is then rigidly secured to rod I by, for example, the screw I8 or any other convenient means. The inner collar 1, however, while it must rotate with rod I, is movable longitudinally thereon.

If now the operating annulus be turned in the 50 proper direction, the inclined side 5 of slot 5 moves along the pin 3 and will force the annulus 4 to the left as shown in Fig. 2 and the arms will expand as shown in said figure.

A vital point in the above described construc- 55 tion, is that the peculiar construction of the arms produces, when the reel is expanded, a device having a double maximum diameter. These maximum diameters are formed by the juncture of the long and short arms. In other words, the protuberant points formed by the junctures of the long and short arm lie in two planes parallel to and on opposite sides of the median transverse plane of the reel.

Owing to the construction described, it is obvious that the transverse plane of one set of junctures will be on one side of the median transverse plane of the reel and the other set will be on the other side of the median transverse plane. The importance of this will be clear from a description of the operation of the device and of the product. I

In operation, the rod is inserted in the balling or winding machine. The operating annulus is turned to force it forward, i. e., towards the slidable collar 1, by pin 3 bearing on the in clined surface 5 of the slot 5. Collar Tmoves toward collar 8 and the arms are expanded as shown in Fig. 2.

The operator loops the material to be wound several times around the arms of the spindle. The winding machine is then started and winds the material on the reel. This material, 'cord, twine or similar material, is guided in any customary manner from one end of the reel to the other. When the ball is completed the machine is stopped, the cord or Whatever the materialwound may be, is cut, leaving a substantial length of unwound cord attached to the ball.

The operator then winds this length of cord around the ball at its median line forming a band, and tucks the end of the cord in the band to hold it. This band, as is clear from the above, surrounds the ball between the planes of the reels'maximum diameters. The two zones of cord on either side of the median are supported from within by the protuberant points of juncture of the long and short arms but the median zone is not thus supported. By winding the unwound portion of the cord repeatedly tightly around this median part the latter is indented somewhat. This gives the cord a springing action from the core against the band and produces a firmer ball than is obtained with spindles now in use. The band beingwound on the operating annulus is turned until the slot therein registers with the pin 3. spring forces the annulus to the right, the slot slipping over the pin 3 and the annulus is stopped by the enlargement 2, the arms of the reel are thereby collapsed, the vreel is then easily removed and is ready for packing and shipping.

What is claimed is:

1. A winding reel comprising two collars and means connecting said two collars, said means comprising a series of longer arms and a series of shorter arms alternating therewith pivotally attached to one of said collars, similar series of arms pivotally attached to the other of said col- The coiled lars, each shorter arms of each of said collars being pivotally connected to a longer arm of the other collar substantially at the extremities of said arms, forming by the junctures of the long and short arms two series of circumferentially disposed protuberances.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1 in which said collars are relatively movable toward and away from each other.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1 in which said collars are relatively movable toward and away from each other, a coiled spring bearing against the inner faces of said collars and tending to force them apart.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1 in which said collars are movable relative to each other and means for moving said collars of said reel toward and away from each other.

5. A winding reel comprising two collars relatively movable toward and away from each other and means connecting said two collars comprising long and short arms pivoted to each of said collars, the long arms of the one collar being pivoted to the short arms of the other collar whereby when the collars are moved toward each other the junctures of the long and short'arms will be moved radially outwardly and when the collars are moved away from each other said junctures will move radially inwardly.

6. A winding spindle comprising a rod adapted to be inserted in a winding machine, a reel mounted on said spindle to rotate therewith, said reel comprising collars relatively movable on said spindle, a series of longer arms and a series of shorter arms, the longer and shorter arms alternating, pivoted to each of said collars, and the longer arms of one collar also pivoted tothe corresponding shorter arms of the other collar, a coiled spring surrounding said spindle and bearing against the inner facesr'of said col-' lars to force them away from each other and means for moving said collars toward each other against the tension of said spring, said reel being expanded when said collars approach each other and collapsed when said collars move further apart.

7. The device as claimed in claim 6 in which.

the means for moving said collars toward each other comprises a pin which also acts as a stop to hold said reel in expanded position and an enlargement on said rod forms a stop to the outward movement of said collars.

8. The device as claimed in claim 6 in which the means for moving said collars toward each other comprises a' pin passing through said spindle beyond said collars and a manually rotatable operating annulus mounted on said spindle and embracing said pin, said annulus having a slot one side of which is a cam surface, in which said pin may be held, and on rotationoi the annulus will move said annulus longitudinally as said pin slides along said cam surface.

JOHN N. GREENAWAY, JR. 

